Electric switch.



F. BUCHANAN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLIOATIONFILED 11110.20, 1909.

1,012,806. Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Ill 'aa a ig l' EA will F. BUCHANAN. ELECTRIC swmn. LPPLIOATION FILED DEC. 20, 1909. 1,012,806, 1 Patented Dec.,2 6, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ali! 7 3 In anion UNITEDLSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK BUCHANAN, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

Application filed December 20, 19 09. Serial No. 533,989.

To all whom it may concern.-

'Be 1t known that I, FRANK BUCHANAN, of

Dayton, in the county of Montgomery, .in

the State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in'Electric Switches, of which-the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is afull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in electric switches adapted to be used more particularly in connection wit-h the lighting circuits of electric head-lights for cars and involves the use of a switch member movable in reverse directions-into and out of contact with separate sets of electric terminals of the same or'different electric circuits for varying the intensity of the light either 'by changing the polarity of the current through the same are lamp or by alternately closing the same or different circuits through an arc'lamp and incandescent lamp. These switches, for the purposes descrlbed,

' are necessarily handled more or less roughly and carelessly by inexperienced operators and are subjected to severejolting by the action of the car upon which they are placed, thereby causing more or less imperfect contact and accidental operation of the switch.

One of the main objects ofmy present invention is to minimize the arcing efiect between the contact'members at the opening of the switch by the use of a multiplicity of terminals and corresponding contact members on the movable switch member.

Another object is to increase the contact area between the contact members by affording a greater degree of lap when in contact.

In the drawings Figures 1 and 2 are re-.

spectively a top plan andan inverted plan of an electric switch embodying the various features of my invention as used in connection with an arc lamp and an incandescent lamp which are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2 as electrically connected to the switch.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 ares ectional views taken respectively on lines 3-3, Fig. 1 and 44 and 5-5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an inverted plan of the same switch as used in connection with a single arc lamp circuit for changing the polarity of the current through the electrodes, omitting the inclosing case. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77, Fig. 6 showing the inclosing case in section and a part of the switch in elevation. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88, Fig. 7 ex-- cept that the casing is omitted. Fig. 9 is'a sectional view taken on line 9-9, Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of aportion of the lighting circuit and contact ter-' minals connected therein.

In carrying out the objects stated, I provide a flat supporting base 1 of insu-v lating material, such as porcelain, and-upon this base is centrally mounted a ,U-shaped metal bracket or bar -2 which is seated in a corresponding groove 3-a ndheld in place by clamping screws or bolts --4, said bar being provided at its' ends with outturned parallel ears 5 having suitable apertures'for receiving-a pivotal bolt -6 the latter serving to support and retain a movable switch member hereinafter described. v

- Mounted upon thesupporting base 1 at opposite sides of the bar 2- and spaced apart therefrom are separate sets of'terminals 7' and 8-arranged in pairsof, in this instance five each, and held in place :b lamping screws or bolts 9 t haw of said terminals being also seated-in suitable grooves -10 in the adjacent face of l the base -1+' to hold them against turning on their clamping screws. These terminals are preferably madeof spring copper and are provided with laterally yielding arms projecting outwardly from the base J1. The arms of each coacting pair of terminals are formed just inside their outer ends'with concave seats 11- terminated 1n outwardly diverging or flaring ends ,12 for receiving and frictionally retainingthe contactpieces of the movable switch memberpresently described.

Two of the terminals at one end of the base are electrically connected by 'a metal conductor or bar 13-, one of said end terminals being electrically connected by a wire l4- to the lighting circuit, as bestshown in Figs. 2 and 5. The terminal. at the opposite end of the same set is connected :by a wire to one pole of an incandescent. lamp -16, the opposite pole of saidlamp being connected by a wire 17- 'to the return wire, as 18-.

I The corresponding end terminal of the opposite set is connected by a wire 19- to one of the electrodes of 'a-n arc lamp 20, the other electrode being connected by a wire -21 t0 the return conductor 18.

comprises a plurality of, in this lnstance' The movable switch operating member Jfive, cylindrical metal contact members -22- arranged in'astraight row, side by side, some distance apart and parallel with each otherand having their opposite ends embedded in parallel bars 23- and 24:

of insulating materia fiber or rubber, said insulator bars being I 'spaced apart, one from the other, to expose such as vulcanized the intervening portions of the contact mem- These contact members 22 :-therefore serve to hold the bars 23 and 1 24; in fixed relation to each other and, at

I the same "time, the insulating bars serve in turn ,to hold the contact members in fixed relation auniform distance apart, corresponding to the spacing of the, terminals +7-' and -8 of each set. The inner infsulating bar '23- is pivotally mounted 'upon the supporting-bolt about which the-movable switch member turns, said pivotal bolt being located slightly below the plane. of the upper ends of the terminals I 8, substantially coincident with. that of the 'concave faces or seats 11-,' so that. when that movable switch each pair" againsttheir own tension, there-, 5D.

I In opening the switch as soon as the conmember is brought to a substantially horizontal. position or parallel with the base '-1--, the contact members --22 will en-.

vgagein the respective seats ll of the adjacent terminals; The terminals 7 and of each pair although tensioned toward each other are normally spaced apart a distanceslightly less than the diameter of the corresponding contact members 22-', so that when the switch is closed s'ziid contact members 22 wedge between and spread apart the terminals of by causing the said terminals to automatically center, grip and frictionally hold'the sw-itdh in its closed position.

tact members fi22- are withdrawn from their respectiveseats .-11', .the "flaring ends '12 operating under their own .sprlng tenslon agalnst the converging or v rounding faces of the contact members tend to'forciblyinject or. expel said contact-"members with considerable force fromx-the terminals, thereby making a quick break and preventing, as far" as possible,

arQ ngrof-the C IlIfI-ent'at the breaki points oflcontact. I

The insulating barsieag na' a together with contact members -22 constitute a unitary structure or movable switch member and, in order that it may be conveniently operated, it is mounted within a U-shaped frame 25- which is hinged to the supporting frame 5 by the bolt 6- and is provided with U-shaped clamping'members or retainens 26 riveted or otherwise secured thereto and projecting outwardly at the sides of the outer insulating bar -24t, so as to establish connection base of said socket and a washer or shoul der 33 on'the outer end of the spindle, said washer being held in place by a machine screw 3eL-. The casing or housing- -29 incloses the greater portion of the switch proper and its outer surface is substantially concentric with the pivotal bolt ---6 and is provided at its apex with a socket into which the inner end of the handle 30 is normally seated by spring pressure of the spring -31 when the switch is in its open position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In F igs 6, 7 and 8 is shown a similar switch adapted to be used in connection with an arc lamp for changingthe polarity of the current through the electrodes, the

parts of the switch being the same as shown in Figs. 1- to '5 inclusive except in the-conchanging switch; for example, certain 1ntermediate terminals of both seats are con vnected by metallic conductors or crossbars +37 and 38.on the under side of the base .1-, as clearly shown in Fig. 6 and diagrammatically in Fig. 10.

In the diagram shown in Fig.10 the positive and negative lighting wires 39 and -40- of the lighting circuit are electrically connectedto-one' of the end terminals 7- and -8. of each set, said end terminal 8= being connected bya wire 4=l. to

v the opposite. end terminal of the other set while the-end terminal -7'', just described, is similarly connected by a wire -42 to the end terminal '8-' at the opposite end of the opposite set. I I

One of the electrodes, as 43, of the are lamp is connected by a wire 44-to the terminal to which the cross bar -'88-- .is connected, while the other electrode, as I motion of the terminals adapted to a pole terminal ''8- to which the cross bar responding contact members 22 hence; through 'the wire '--44-- and electrodes and: T-'45-, wire and terminal -8 connected thereto and then the cross' -conductor and remaining terminal 7- and corresponding contact members -22 through the "wire 41 and thence to the first terminal,-;-8- to the return conductor 40-- of-the lighting. circuit.

members 22T are' brought .into contact the workingcircuit the current will pass [from the first terminal -7 through the wire '42- to the last terminal of the opposite setih'enc'e through the last half ofsponding contacts 22- through the wire v I ployed tends not only to minimize the arcing 35- efiects upon'the opening of theswitch but the reversibility of the switch into and out .of 'contact with either set of terminals enables the operator to easily. and quickly throw int-o circuit lights of varying degrees an incandescent lamp, as shown in Fig.2, or by changing'the polarity of the current in'a single are lamp, as shown in Fig. 10.

Another important feature of advantage of this. invention is that the contact members 22 are wedge-shaped transversely and whenbrought into operative engagement with the terminals of either'set at either side of the-'.switch, spread said terminals apart ";against"their own tension, thereby bridging the gaps between each separate pair of said terminals which, owing to their tension and concave seats, automatically center and hold the movable'switch' member in its closed position and at the same time the flaring ends of the terminals operating against the wedging faces of "the contact members serve to forcibly ejectthe movable switch member from its closed position to makea quiclq' break and additionally revent excessive arcingx during the operatlon'of opening the switc What I claim is: V

1, An electric switch comprising a sup- 55 port, a frame pivoted to this support, insu- On the other hand if the contact with the terminals -8-- or. negative side of the series of terminals *8' and corre-- of intensity, either by using an arc lamp and lators mounted in the frame and spaced some distance apart, a cylindrical conductor bridging such space and having its ends seated in the insulators and thereby ins'u-' lated fromthe frame, and a pair of spring terminals mounted on the support a distance apart normally less than thediameter of the,

conductor and insulated from each other, said terminals being loc'atedat opposite sides of the path of movement of said conductor and provided, with registering concave seats for receiving the conductor 'and friction'ally holding the switch in its closed position, the outerends of the terminals, being deflected from each other to forcibly eject the conductor and produce a quick break at the initial opening of the switch.

2. An, electric switch comprising a support, a bracket mounted on the support, a

frame hinged to the bracket, insulators parallel with the axis of the frame and spaced some distance apart, a series of conductors seated in and bridging the space between the insulators and spaced some distance apart,

and a corresponding number of pairs of spring. term nals mounted on the support at one side ofrit-he axis: of the frame, those of each pair being insulated from each other and having their adjacent faces "lying in the path of movement of oppositesides of the corresponding conductor for contact therewith'when the switch is closed.

3. An electric switch comprising a base of insulating material, a'bracket secured to the base, a' frame pivoted tothe bracket by a pivotal rod, a. bar of insulating material mounted on the rod, contact members of conducting material securedto and projecting radially from said insulating .bar and spaced some distance apart from each other, means-for holding the contact members and insulatingbar stationary relatively 'to the frame, and-a row of contact terminals ar ranged in pairs, those of each pair being insulated from each other and disposed in the path of movement of opposite sides of their respective contact members.

4. An electric switch comprising an insulating base having separate rows of. contact terminals parallel with each other and spaced some distance apart, -those of each pair being insulated from each other, a bracket secured to the basebetween the separate rows of terminals, a frame pivoted to 'the bracket to swing in opposite directions.

from a vertical position, yielding means for holding said frame in its vertical position, a bar ofinsulating material mounted in the bracket coaxial -,w1th the axis of the frame, contact members of conducting material securedato and projecting radially from said insulating bar and spaced a distance apart corresponding tdthe distance between the terminals of each; row, means for. holding the insulating bar and contact members stationary relatively to the frame, said contact members being movable with the frame-into and out of contact with the terminals which arealined therewith. i

5. An electric switch, having separate parallel rows of spring terminals. arranged in pairs, those 0t each pairjbe'ing of opposite polarity and having their ends flaring laterally, and a rocking support near said rows having cylindrical contact members movable to and from a position betweerrthe' corresponding pairs of terminals of each row. a

6. In an electric switch, an insulatingbase, a rocking support mounted on the .base,

separate pairs of terminals of opposite polarity at opposite sides of the support,those of each pair beinginsulated from each other,

insulating bars mounted on the support and spaced'apart from each other, and contact members bridging the space between .and secured tosaid bars for bridging the gap be.- tween the terminals of each pair as the rock'- ing support is moved in reverse directions those of each pair being insulated from each other, insulating bars mounted on the rocking support and spaced apart from eachother, each row of terminals being located at substantially the :same distance from-the axis of the rocking support asthat between said axis and space between the insulating bars, and a plurality of contact members bridging the space between and secured to said bars and spaced'apart a'distance corresponding to'the' distance between the pairs of terminals of each row for electrically connecting the corresponding pairs'of ter-'.

minals as therockingsupport is moved in reverse directions for closing the sw1tch.-

8. An electric switch, having a rocking support provided with a contact member,

an inclosin g case having a portion of its face concentric with the swinging axis of the support and provided with a socket, and a radially yielding movablehandle on the support and spring pressed into the socket to hold the support in a ppredetermined po'sition.

In witness whereof I have hereunto setmy hand on this 6th day of December 1909.

FRANK BUCHANAN. lVitnesses:

' H. E. CHasE,

A. HUMPHREY. 

